Summary

The purpose of my message this morning is to encourage us to praise the Lord that we might enjoy the benefits and pleasure of this aspect of our worship toward God

Introduction

The Bible expresses that God has created us to PRAISE THE lord, the scripture also tells us that God desires that we would recognize his works and that we would give him the credit for it in our life.

PRAISE IS NOT JUST SOME ASPECT OF CHURCH THAT MEN THOUGHT UP. it is a divinely ordained unconditional expression on our part that if practiced by us-- will draw us closer to God

-- and according to scripture it will draw God closer to us. Ps 22:3But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

So again, the purpose of my message is to encourage us to praise the Lord that we might enjoy the benefits and pleasure of this aspect of our worship toward God.

And I want to deal with this subject by asking the question What is Praise?

Praise by definition is: "an expression of approval or commendation; applause” –

Praise is getting hilariously excited about something.

Because Nic was in marching band not only in high school but also in college I WILL NEVER FORGET BEING AT those football GAMES

I went to every high school game and every college game that Nic was performing in. For me the highlight of the football game was always the half time show.

But you can’t go to a football game without getting pulled into the game and feeling the excitement of everyone around you.

You know that excitement that comes when your team is behind and in the fourth quarter there was a 70-yard conversion that resulted in a touchdown and your team winning the game!

Do you know what happened

-We are a people formed to give praise,We know how to give praise. And people including me went wild

we use wordsclapwe smilecheerWe even become FANATICAL.

OH, IF ONLY WE COULD GET AS EXCITED ABOUT GOD AS WE DO ABOUT FOOTBALL

2. The Bible tells us the manner in which we should show our praise to God!

None of these ways include reserved silence.

there is a time for silent meditation. Meditation is a different aspect of our life with God,Meditation is not praise................

EXPRESSING YOUR PRAISE INCLUDESClapping -- Psalm 47:1 Clap your hands all ye people, shout unto God with a voice of triumph". Lifting up your hands -- Psalm 134:2 "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the Lord". (that doesn’t sound like a suggestion, that sounds like how we should be praising God)Singing - Psalm 100:2 -- "come before him with Joyful song" I know we aren’t singing in church right now but that shouldn’t stop us from singing in our hearts and in our minds.

Ephesians 5:18-20 "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord"

Verbal Praise - Psalm 100 "Shout for Joy all the earth, worship the Lord with gladness

praise is an expression of approval, commendation, and applause to God.

Isaiah 43:21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

Psalm 107:8 "O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men".

Thanksgiving to God for blessings received and the reporting of those blessings to others. The testimony of God’s goodness toward you should be an unceasing proclamation.

Isaiah 62:6 "I have posted watchmen on the walls., o Jerusalem they will never be silent day or night, You who call on the Lord give yourselves no rest”.

Our regular testimony should be "we just can’t thank him enough"

Praise for What God is doing in your life should be shared.

Mark 5:19 (demon possessed man) "go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has for you, and how he has had mercy on you.

--our faith and testimony needs to go beyond, Sunday morning.

our testimony and Thanksgiving to God should be proclaimed everywhere to everyone.

Ephesians 5:19 "Speak to one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.

praise is...

a response of faith toward his precious promises.

We need to believe in positive confession.

• If his promise to heal you is true then you need to thank and praise him for it.
• If you believe his promise to deliver you is true then you need to thank and praise him for it.
• If you trust him to guide you then you need to thank and praise him for it.
• If you believe he can perform a miracle in your finances -then you need to thank and praise him for it.

When you’re praying to God for something do you thank him even before he gives you an answer, do you praise and thank him even as you are asking? Rather than praising and thanking God for the answer even before it comes, many Christians

grow discouragedstart to doubtthey begin to disbelieve, and they miss the blessing.

There is a poem out there written by an anonymous poet that reads:

we mutter and sputterWe fume and we spurtWe mumble and Grumble

Our feelings get hurt

We can’t understand things

our vision grows dim

when all that we need

is a moment with him

Hebrew 11 says: that without faith it is impossible to please God and he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him

praise is an expression of your faith and without that in your life it is impossible to please God.

but when you praise him and trust him and believe him, he will reward you.

in order to begin experiencing the blessing God has for you in this discipline of Praise you have to climb the mountain

for we are in the position of travelers who after surveying a great mountain and AFTER TRAVELING around it and observing how it dominates the landscape, and observing its features and the landscape around it, now must approach it directly, for the intention of climbing it.

in other wordsIf we are ever going to fulfill the purpose for which we were created to proclaim his praise, we just have to go for it!Conclusion:Rev. 3:15 "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold or hot, I would thou wert cold or hot". this verse speaks of our life toward GodGod desires that we would be on fire for himand a people who are praising Jesus all the time.not cold and dismal and lifeless,but expressive and reverent toward Him.for he is the focus of our praise

There was an elderly Christian whose advancing years had taken their toll on her memory. As her health faded the time came that she could recite but a single verse (2 timothy 1:12) "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto HIM against that day".

Even these words slowly slipped away from her memory until only a few days of her LIFE remained

and friends would hear her repeat just six words.

"that which I’ve committed unto him"

Finally, as the hour of the women’s death neared, and her memory was all but gone.

She voiced a single word repeatedly; it was all she could remember.

HIM HIM HIM

here is the key to our praise, when we come together to worship, when we are giving thanks in the presence of others, or when we are expressing our faith through praise let it all focus upon HIM.

Amen

‒ Pastor Pam